We Are Not Related
by Zakemur
Summary: During their first summer vacation together Ben and Gwen found out that they were not related. Gwen turned out to be Hex's daughter. How will this situation affect them?


It was a hot summer day. Grandpa Max rode the Rust Bucket while Ben and Gwen were looking through an old family album in the back seat. They were somewhere in near Yellowstone National Park

"Look, there is Grandpa Max when he was a child". Gwen said pointing on a gray old photo.

"Nothing interesting about that". Ben mumbled. He was indifferent towards those photos and didn't share Gwen's excitement. Suddenly a piece of paper fell on the floor. Ben picked it up from the floor and saw writings that he wished he hadn't seen: "Adoption Forms". He read:

"Name before adoption: Cinder, Name after adoption: Gwen Tennyson. Born: 12.03.1996. Biological parent: Mr. Hex. Adopted by: Frank Tennyson…"

He stopped and his hands began to shake.

"What the heck is going on here? Her real name is Cinder? How can this be possible? How can Gwen be an adoptive child? And who the heck is Hex…no, it can't be, it can't be him! "

Ben got his Omnitrix just a month ago, but he encountered many enemies. He did not know he also fought his "cousin's" father. There was no information about her mother. Ben stood still for five minutes. He did not hear Gwen calling him. He got out of the shock he experienced when Gwen's shoe hit his head.

"Ouch! That hurt, doofus!" Ben yelled putting his hand on his head.

"I can't believe we're related Ben…" Gwen wanted to complain using insults, but Ben cut her:

"We're not related". He whispered. His voice shook when he pronounced those words and a strange feeling surged in his heart. He felt like was carrying something heavy under the burning summer sun. He began to sweat and Gwen instantly noticed that he was serious.

"What do you mean?"Gwen asked with a concerned voice. She was unwilling to think about what Ben was about to say, but something inside her was telling her that sorrow will strike her like a blade in the dark.

"Gwen, before I show you those papers, promise me, that we'll be friends and you will always stay on the path of good…" Ben said and suddenly stopped, because he couldn't control his feelings.

"I promise…" Gwen whispered and a tear fell from her eye. It was like she already knew the truth.

"Gwen, just take it easy, don't panic, we mustn't let grandpa know". Ben said handing his former cousin the adoption papers. Gwen carefully read them despite the tears on her eyes.

"No, that is impossible, I…I…can't be his…no…no…no…" The poor girl put her hands on her head. She tried to calm herself down, but she couldn't because her whole life had been a lie.

"This could not be happening!" She yelled and began crying out loud. Max stopped the Rust Bucket and in a rush ran towards Gwen.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly. Suddenly he saw the adoption papers on the floor and sighed in grief:

"I knew this day would come. I did not it would come today".

"You lied to me, old man, for all this time!" Gwen shouted through tears.

"Ben, she needs time alone". Max whispered. Ben noticed tears in his eyes.

"Grandpa, I think she needs us more now than ever". Ben murmured and turned to Gwen:

"Gwen, calm down…Everything is going to be in order soon. No matter what life continues! You can have… you will have a bright future". Ben said solemnly trying to cheer her up. Gwen threw a dumb gaze at Ben. She was still teary-eyed but stopped crying:

"You really think so?" She asked with a trembling and croaky voice.

"I know so!" Ben exclaimed.

"Thanks, but that doesn't change the fact that Max is not my grandfather and you are not my cousin! I…I…I'm in a very horrible situation…I don't know where to go and I don't know what to do. I mean I cannot stay here knowing that…" Gwen couldn't finish her words and once again began to cry. Grandpa Max seemed saddened and was also about to cry out loud, but he wanted to be unseen crying so he went out of the. Ben hugged Gwen:

"Everything is going to be ok, I promise…"

"You are no one to me…you're not my cousin!" Gwen murmured.

"No, but I am your friend!"

"Maybe my only friend…" She croaked and began to cry much harder breaking from Ben's embrace.

"Come on Gwen, don't give up!" Ben said, the he noticed her shoe which she threw at him on the floor. Ben tried to change the subject forgetting that Gwen's actual name was Cinder:

"Hey Cinderella, I think you dropped your shoe!"

"Where?" Gwen looked at the shoe. "Just leave it be…"

"You know Gwen, the story of Cinderella was one of my favorite when I was a child and also I liked nursery rhymes…Just keep it a secret, I don't want anyone to know…"

"Ben, you're too kind, but this tragedy will be hard to overcome…All my dreams and hopes are gone…"

"Never let yourself down". Ben whispered while Gwen continued soaking the backseat.

"Gwen, you know, that a smart and pretty girl like you should never cry! A girl like you is not worthy to experience the pain brought to us by life. You have magic skills and I have the Omnitrix. We've been through…" He began whispering sentences that he never used in his life but at the end Gwen's hug stopped him.

"I can't believe such words from you! You are my light in this dark World". She cried "My father is a villain, but I don't want to follow his footsteps, yet I feel like I must honor my family's deeds!"Gwen answered with the same tone and language. The last expression stopped this philosophical and dramatic conversation.

"Hex hates you! He wouldn't have thrown you to the orphanage, if he had a slightest adoration towards you. He liked Charmcaster more, can you see that?" Ben roared. He was really afraid that she would join Hex one day.

Sometimes luck plays tricks on people. This is exactly what happened to our heroes. They were attacked by Hex and Charmcaster. They broke in to the Rustbucket and attacked them, leaving a hole near the backseat.

Ben wanted to turn in to an alien, but failed as Hex casted a spell on it. He laughed:

"Child, I prepared for your shenanigans, I'm not as dumb as you think".

Ben didn't say a thing, took Gwen's hand and pulled her with him outside, while she casted a spell that temporarily blinded their nemesis. They found themselves in a green valley. There was a low cliff to the North. Ben planned to jump of it and disappear from sight even if for a short time. They began to run towards the cliff and followed by their enemies, who began shooting various spells at them.

"Gwen, we shall jump off that cliff, I think you will have time to revive the spell". Ben explained in a rush.

"It sounds risky! I can only try to revive the spell; I cannot guarantee that it will be successful". Gwen said but Ben didn't hear her and pulled her hand. She wanted to protest but she didn't find another way out of this situation. They stopped on the edge of the cliff. It was low as Ben predicted. He had visited this part of Yellowstone before so he knew about this cliff.

"One...Two…Three…Jump!" Ben commanded and they jumped. When they landed Gwen let out a shriek.

"What happened? Are you ok?" Ben asked with a worried voice. He almost panicked.

"I shouldn't have taken off my shoe…Ah…I think I broke my foot…" Gwen mumbled and passed out from pain.

"Gwen! Wake up, wake up!" Ben yelled trying to get her back to her senses.

"Well, well, it seems that it is the end of the line for you two". Charmcaster laughed. There was pleasure in her voice. She finally had the chance to destroy them. Hex joined her:

"Time to execute…"

"Your own daughter!" Ben yelled continuing the sentence.

"What do you mean boy?" Hex asked with a surprised expression

Before Ben could answer Max had neutralized both Hex and Charmcaster with Hex with his weapon.

"Grandpa!" Ben exclaimed "If you hadn't come we would have been toasted".

"Is Gwen alright?" Max asked without commenting Ben's words.

"We've got to get her to a hospital!"

"The nearest hospital is thirty miles from here. The Rustbucket is working, despite the hole near the back seat.

"What about Hex and Charmcaster? Let's call the police!"

"The reception here is bad; we must hurry to the hospital. We'll leave them. They won't wake up in another two hours". Max explained.

They took Gwen in to the Rustbucket. Max mended a cardboard on the hole and they rode to the nearest town. On the way Gwen woke up:

"What happened?" She asked with a weak voice.

"Everything is going to be ok, Gwen…" Ben said smiling. Suddenly he noticed that she was burning from fever when the touched her hand.

"Grandpa, her fever is high. What should we do?"

"Put something cold on her forehead. I think her hurt foot is causing high fever, what were you thinking by jumping off that cliff? We're going to have a talk about this". Max said.

Soon Gwen began having delusions:

"Father, father, where are you?" She mumbled "I'm not Cinder, I'm Gwen! Please…leave me alone".

_To be continued…_


End file.
